Phil Fortunato

I want to bring your attention to a troubling misuse of taxpayer dollars. The Washington State Department of Commerce is awarding grant funds to organizations that actively work against our Second Amendment rights. Most recently, these funds are being spent to support an elaborate gala for an anti-gun group—an unacceptable...

Friends, The state Senate will be voting on “Parents’ Rights,” today. You can watch the floor debate by clicking here. Last year, hundreds of thousands of voters across the state signed an Initiative to the Legislature to protect a parent’s rights in schools. The Democratic majority is using a loophole to...

Greetings from Olympia, I like to remind folks that one of the worst times of year for taxpayers is when the Legislature is in session and it sure is shaping up that way already. In case you missed it, Washington is facing a significant budget deficit. The folks in charge...

Amid impending federal changes to immigration policy, state Senator Phil Fortunato is reintroducing legislation to protect Washingtonians by removing violent criminals who are in the state illegally. Senate Bill 5002 aims to repeal Washington’s sanctuary status and remove barriers that currently shield violent offenders from being apprehended by federal authorities....

Greetings from Olympia, Today is the last day of the 2024 legislative session and it’s been eventful to say the least. As I mentioned in my last e-newsletter, the legislative majority finally listened to the people, kind of. Of the historic 6 initiatives to the Legislature, they decided to hold...

No updates to this page will occur after March 7 until after the election in November. Fed up with destructive and burdensome policies pushed by the Democratic majority, citizens from around the state collected more than 2 million signatures to submit a historic 6 initiatives to the Legislature. All six...

Amid a national frenzy over immigration during the Trump administration, Governor Jay Inslee signed an executive order that barred cooperation with federal immigration authorities for certain state agencies. Washington then became one of 11 “sanctuary states” with the passage of Senate Bill 5497 in 2019. That same year, Washington was...

Greetings from Olympia, There are just a couple of weeks left in the 2024 legislative session and it’s moving at a break-neck speed. I’d like to think that the state Legislature has convened to address some of the most pressing issues facing our state. Communities are still reeling from bad...

Earlier in the 2024 legislative session, Sen. Phil Fortunato, domestic violence survivors and advocates held a news conference outlining stark problems in the state’s family courts.  The package of bills aimed to train judges, provide more protections for abuse victims – mostly women and children – and set improved standards...

The Washington Senate is poised to approve a bill Thursday that would allow the annual growth in property taxes to triple, flouting the will of Washington voters who approved a cap on property taxes in 2001. Republican senators say they plan to raise stiff opposition when the bill comes to...